Selmon Walters reassigned to Postal Corporation

Appropriate action for the offence, or was Minister Selmon Walters’ reassignment only a slap on the wrist?{{more}}

Opposition Leader Arnhim Eustace says it’s the latter; Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves, the former, and the Public Service Union chief says as far as the Union is concerned, the case is closed.

“I don’t think that what he said and what he did is a resignation offence, particularly since he has breasted the tape and apologized fully. We have to have some sort of proportionality in this matter,” Dr Gonsalves said when he called in on the WE FM radio programme Shake Up, last Monday, from Paris.

Speaking to the programme’s host, Dr Gonsalves announced what was officially circulated later that day by his Press Secretary: that the portfolio of the Public Service will now be assigned to the Prime Minister’s office, and Minister of State Conrad Sayers will give it direct supervision.

On the other hand, responsibility for the postal service has been shifted to Walters, in addition to the other aspects of his portfolio: Rural Transformation, Information, and Ecclesiastical Affairs, which he retains.

“I am not satisfied. He should have resigned, or be removed from every portfolio,” was the Opposition Leader’s response to the Prime Minister’s move.

Speaking to SEARCHLIGHT on Wednesday, Eustace said that his party sticks by the letter he sent to the Prime Minister on Friday, October 19, in which they made it clear that their desire is to see a total ministerial stripping of Walters.

Eustace said that while what the Prime Minister did show that he accepts that Walters was wrong, it falls short of what should have been done.

“It is a slap on the wrist,” Eustace said.



Meanwhile, PSU head Aubrey Burgin said that his Union was pleased that the Prime Minister acted in the manner he did, by removing the Public Service from Walters’ portfolio.

“It is a dead issue, relative to us,” Burgin said.